Emotions will run high in Kenan Stadium this weekend, as the UNC football team will honor its senior class before a noon kickoff against FCS foes Wofford. The group of honorees includes several names which have been key to the program’s return from the doldrums of the final years of Larry Fedora’s coaching tenure.
There will be 22 names called before the game Saturday, among them linebackers Jeremiah Gemmel and Tomon Fox, tight end Garrett Walston and defensive back Trey Morrison. As seniors, each of those players will be appearing in Kenan Stadium for the final time. But they will be joined by a notable member of the team’s junior class: quarterback Sam Howell.
Howell confirmed this week he plans to graduate from UNC in December, but wouldn’t guarantee he will be entering next spring’s NFL Draft. Head coach Mack Brown said he would encourage Howell to turn pro if asked, but also said he didn’t know what decision his quarterback would make.
Howell may not even play this weekend against the Terriers, as he is currently nursing an upper-body injury. Brown said Wednesday Howell was limited in practice and will be a game-time decision.
“Sam’s so tough, and he’s such a team guy,” Brown said. “He’s gonna want to play. And he also doesn’t want to go out there unless he’s ready to play, because he doesn’t want to hurt the team. So that’ll be totally up to Sam, and the doctors and his family, of whether he would play or not.”
Unlike Howell, most of UNC’s senior class committed to Larry Fedora in his last years as the Carolina head coach. Once Fedora and all of his staff were fired by the program in 2018 and Brown signed on, those players could have entered the transfer portal. Brown said Monday the fact that group stayed in Chapel Hill speaks volumes about their character.
“You think about these guys, they’ve meant so much to our program,” he said. “And they’ve been so good to us. Some guys left, some stayed. It’s very tough when you lose your coach and all of the assistant coaches. And you have different guys talking to you about a different offense and a different defense, who recruited you and what you mean to them. These guys have stayed.”
Trey Morrison has been a staple in the Carolina secondary almost since he arrived on campus in 2018. Since then, he’s started 41 of a possible 43 games at defensive back, a position which has seen its fair share of injuries in recent years. Before his last home game, Morrison reflected on his time as a Tar Heel.
“UNC means everything to me,” he said. “It was a dream to come here. Great academics, great athletics. Like they say, time really does fly, man. I remember stepping on campus being a freshman, and now I’m a senior. It was an amazing experience. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.”
Jeremiah Gemmel has become a favorite of Brown since the head coach returned to Chapel Hill. Brown said he hopes to hire Gemmel to his staff once the linebacker is finished with professional football. As one of the longest-tenured Tar Heels on the team, Gemmel expressed appreciation for the opportunities he’s received through UNC.
“I’m definitely hugging the guys I’ve been around since I’ve gotten here,” Gemmel said. “Like Tomon Fox, Garrett Walston. It’s a time to reflect on one another and just be happy, grateful. Just for being a part of this team, being a part of each other’s lives for so long, and then playing ball for so long. So I think it’s gonna be a time not only for us to reflect on our families and everything they’ve done for us, but also to reflect on one another and be grateful for one another.”
After the Senior Day ceremonies, there is still a game to be played, and an important one for the Tar Heels. With a win, Carolina would clinch bowl eligibility for a third straight season.
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